city in Illinois
Honey bee forage in Christopher, Illinois
Estimated forage here is better than about 62% of sites in Illinois. Against other Illinois sites it stands out most in spring (98th percentile) and lowest in summer (23rd). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 3 of the last 5 years); corn (nearest 0.4 mi W, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Christopher?
- First forage: Feb 16 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar))
- Main flow: May 16 to Jul 31, peaking early Jun (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Sep 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Christopher, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Apr 12.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 3,559 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi W, blooms late May – early Aug (grown 3 of the last 5 years)
- Corn: about 692 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.9 mi W, blooms early Jun – early Jul (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Christopher
Mostly: North-Central Interior Floodplain Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; South-Central Interior Mesophytic Forest.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.12 mi SW; pond, lake or river 0.45 mi NE.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 53% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Christopher ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 94th | 92nd | 89th | 37th |
| Illinois | 62nd | 98th | 23rd | 73rd |
| Interior River Valleys and Hills | 76th | 96th | 39th | 71st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 31% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Christopher: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
North City 2 mi · Buckner 2 mi · Mulkeytown 3 mi · Valier 3 mi · Zeigler 5 mi · Orient 5 mi
All towns in Illinois · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Christopher (37.971, -89.053); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.